Kitsune Ryukan
Kitsune Ryukan was a bushi of the fox Clan. Early Years Ryukan was born without the ability to speak to the kami, which was quite unexpected since both his parents shared a tremendous bond with not only the kami, but the kitsune spirits that lived in Kitsune Mori. Spending a lot of time deep within Kitsune Mori, Ryukan explored the darkest shadows, communing with the fox spirits in his own way. Kitsune Ryukan, Fox Clan Champion Training with the Toritaka When the time came to send him to a school he was fostered to the Toritaka family of the Crab. Among the Toritaka he found his connection with the spirits. Forest Connection After he returned to Kitsune Mori he would enter the forest, remaining gone for days on end. Each time he came back he would accept any responsibilities given to him by his family, and when they were completed he would enter the forest again. In a short period of time he became the greatest hunter, tracker and expert on the mysteries within Kitsune Mori. Not even his cousin, the Fox Clan Champion Kitsune Ryosei could match his knowledge. Acting Champion Before his cousin Ryosei disappeared into the Shadowlands looking for her father she left explicit instructions that Ryukan should assume her position in her absence. Prelude to Darkness, Part One: The Fox, by Shawn Carman Although none would speak out against her choice, many doubted Ryukan's ability to handle such a responsibility. Ryukan himself was not so sure either. It was believed at the time that he was only chosen so that he would not follow Ryosei into the Shadowlands himself, as a command from his Champion was the one thing he would not disobey. When Ryosei returned everyone breathed a huge sigh of relief, including Ryukan, but she quickly retired to a temple, instructing Ryukan to continue to administrate the Clan's affairs in her name. Responsibilities His duty in overseeing Kitsune Mori in the Emperor's name and ensuring the welfare of his clan was a responsibility that changed Ryukan. His love for Kitsune Mori and the fox spirits within drives him to protect them, with his life, and with the lives of his people if necessary. Death of Ryosei Only one thing haunted Ryukan: the death of Ryosei. When she was found in the temple, seemingly dead from old age in 1160, The Legion of the Dead: Mistress of the Fox he could not believe it. Ryosei was too full of life and too close to the spirits to simply pass away in such a way. Ryukan feared a threat he could not see had provoked his cousin's death. Ryukan had guessed the truth. Ryosei had been attacked and killed by the Shadow Dragon himself. Shadows in the Forest, by Shawn Carman Legions, Part VII The Prophet In 1169 a group of mysterious bandits started launching raids out of Kitsune Mori, driving out the Fox from the forest. The bandits seemed like ghosts, attacking suddenly and then disappearing within the shadows. The Kitsune spirits were suddenly silent, as if they had disappeared altogether. The Fox Clan were almost completely overrun without ever even identifying their attackers. The bandits became more and more aggressive in pushing them outside the boundaries of the forest. Two entire villages had had to be evacuated because of the near constant assaults. Prophecy, by Shawn Carman Requesting aid Ryukan sent request for aid to the Tsuruchi. Part of the scroll was written in a Sparrow code used by the members of the Three Man Alliance, especially the Fox. The scroll reached the Imperial Archives. Before the Tsuruchi got it, the scroll was near to be lost to the fire during the Battle of Toshi Ranbo, and remained unanswered by months. Eventually it was discovered by Kitsuki Taiko, who aided by Kakita Hideo knew of it was recent, and marched to the Kitsune lands to investigate. Scenes from the Empire I, by Shawn Carman Kidnapping attempts The bandit attacks changed. They did not seek to oust them from their home, but rather to overrun them, as if they had discovered something they wanted. Kitsune Narako, a young girl, revealed herself as a prophet and foresaw the end of the Fox clan. The first attack attempting to take her came the next day, but she refused to leave her home. Heralds Arrived Narako foresaw the arrival of two heralds, a prideful warrior and a healing Dragon, coming to aid them. Taiko and Hideo arrived the Fox border and they alongside with Kitsune guards, were attacked by the bandis. Finally, Taiko and Ryukan were able to figure out the bandit's equipment had the mon of the Sons of Winter bandit group on it, although they had supposedly been destroyed in Shinomen Mori ages ago. Narako and these yojimbo had to march to the Jade Championship, or Narako prophecied the Kitsune Mori would burn. Absorption into the Mantis In 1166 Yoritomo Kumiko sent the Tsuruchi Daimyo, Tsuruchi Nobumoto, to request Ryukan to join the , but he refused. Three Man Alliance Plain (Lotus flavor) The Mantis Clan Champion Yoritomo Naizen sailed upriver to met Ryukan, and gifted the Fox with the Candle of Shadows. It was used to conceal Narako from the assailants they were suffering. Following this period of trouble when the Fox Clan were forced to accept the aid of the Mantis Clan, Ryukan, relluctantly, allowed the Fox to join the Mantis Clan this year. Shadows, by Shawn Carman Race for the Throne Naizen endorsed Tsuruchi Etsui as another Mantis candidate for Emperor in the Race for the Throne. He had discarded Tanari, formerly known as Tsuruchi, for the young hero who stood at the side of Toturi III as his final defender before he breathed his last. He bore his final words back to the empire, so that we would know that he fell a hero. He also could have used those words to aggrandize himself, but he did not, thinking only of the Empire. The Mantis saw Etsui as an Emperor they could control. On Land and On Sea (The Race for the Throne Book), by Rusty Priske Shadow Dragon exposed In 1170 Ryukan's niece was betrothed to Naizen, and several delegations came to give their congratulations. At that time the prophet Narako suffered another attack. It turned out that the bandits that had plagued the Kitsune Mori were really agents of the Shadow Dragon, those whose souls were lost to the Lying Darkness long before. The Shadow Dragon had turned his attention to the Kitsune Mori, and planned to use the Fox' connection to Chikushudo to gain the awareness of all animals in the world, making him nearly omniscient. When the dragon realized Narako had the gift of prophecy, he instead sent the Sons of Winter to kidnap her, and to take her gift for himself. Narako's guardians, Hiruma Aki, Bayushi Eisaku, Utaku Kohana, Kakita Hideo, Yoritomo Saburo, and Kitsuki Taiko surprisingly were able to defend her from the Dragon's attack. See also * Kitsune Ryukan/Meta External Links * Kitsune Ryukan (Gold) * Kitsune Ryukan Exp (Honor's Veil) Category:Characters with Pictures Category:Fox Clan Leaders Category:Mantis Clan Leaders